Press release: Djukanovic meets Lloveras

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic met with Mr Joseph Lloveras, Ambassador of the European Commissions Delegation in Serbia and Montenegro, today in Podgorica.

Ambassador Lloveral acquainted Prime Minister Djukanovic with the basics of the 2005 Enlargement Strategy, the Progress Report on Serbia and Montenegro and a proposal for a Council Decision on Principles and Priorities Contained in the European Partnership.

Emphasizing that Serbia and Montenegro were now, for the first time, treated as an integral part of the Unions enlargement process, Ambassador Lloveras noted that the Commissions enlargement policy was based on consolidation, conditionality and communication.

Referring to the essence of the Progress Report, in the period between the publication of the Feasibility Study of April 2005 and end of September this year, covered by the Report, Ambassador Loveras stressed that Montenegro had achieved a long list of positive results in politics and economy, as well as in adopting European legislation and standards. However, the purpose of the Report was to point out the areas in which additional progress should be made in the following period, in order to eliminate what was perceived as a deficiency. By the same token, Ambassador Lloveras emphasized the importance of furthering the judiciary reform, with a view to establishing judicial authorities as reliable, professional and objective, as well as strengthening administrative capacities and effectively implementing the Governments strategy against corruption and organized crime. Ambassador Lloveras concluded that those issues were not specific for Montenegro, but rather characteristic of the whole region, accompanying transition processes in general.

Prime Minister Djukanovic thanked Ambassador Lloveras for a clear presentation and expressed his satisfaction with the progress all the countries of the Western Balkans had made in the European integration process, which considerably strengthened the regions stability and European prospects. He emphasized that the fact that Serbia and Montenegro were part of the enlargement process was of capital importance and that the integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures was Montenegros strategic national goal. In that context, he stressed that the referendum on Montenegros statehood status, which would be organized next year spring, would in no way affect the Governments full commitment and capacity to conduct negotiations on the Stabilization and Association Agreement, efficiently and professionally. The Government would take all necessary measures to elaborate the Action Plan, in line with the new priorities and recommendations contained in the European Partnership, Prime Minister Djukanovic concluded.

Both parties underlined their interest in further developing regular dialogue and partnership.